Bonds
by TheVictorianMuse
Summary: After their first reunion at Orochimaru's hideout, Naruto convinces Sasuke to come back to him. What will unfold when bonds are tested and the very lines of right and wrong are blurred? SasuNaru, KakaIta HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

There was a hushed silence. No one spoke. No one made a move. Sasuke's speed was incredible. He jumped from above them in the blink of an eye, and he now had one arm resting on Naruto's shoulder, the other on his hip near his katana. Naruto's blue eyes were wide. The other boy's words were swimming in his head.

'_You're alive because of my whim. Our bonds are broken…broken…'_

"Maybe I should finish what I started, ne, Naruto?" The Uchiha's voice sounded teasing…playful…it made Naruto sick to his stomach. How could he go back to the village without Sasuke? If he couldn't save him…

"How can I be Hokage, if I can't even save my best friend…my most important person?" He whispered in Sasuke's ear. "Go ahead. Do it." He rested his temple against Sasuke's, an intimate gesture that the other spectators picked up on.

Sakura knew. She'd known for a long time. Surpisingly, it made her fight that much harder to get Sasuke back. Naruto deserved to be happy…but why was Sasuke doing this? She didn't know what they were saying, they were speaking in hushed whispers. But, judging by the look on Naruto's face, it wasn't good. She took a brave step forward.

"Sasuke-kun, please. We…we love you! Come back to us. We can help you grow stronger, we can help you defeat Itachi! You have a life in Konoha! You have people who…who love you!" She exclaimed, pouring her heart and soul into every word. She watched as he smirked, pressing his cheek roughly against Naruto's.

"Did you hear that, _Naruto_. I have people who _love_ me." He hissed patronizingly. "Love makes you _weak_. I don't need useless bonds such as that." He moved his lips to Naruto's ear. "I know what kind of love _you_ have for me, _Naruto_. And frankly, I'm _disgusted_."

"Cut the act, teme. I know that's not true. I was awake all those nights, you know." He smiled as he heard Sasuke's breath hitch in his throat. "I was awake, and I watched you stare at me. I felt your fingertips, brushing back my bangs. I heard you whispered all those words, I don't even think you knew what they meant."

"Naruto…" Sasuke warned in a low voice.

"_Naruto, will you save me? I don't want this for myself…but I'm conflicted. I have to…"_ Naruto repeated Sasuke's words back tohim, making the raven tighten his grip on his arm. "_My heart belongs to you…but I have to repopulate my clan._ That one hurt me the most. It's like dangling it in front of my face, but not letting me have it. How could you possibly think you could say those things, and have me not react like this? How could you not expect me to fight tooth and nail to bring you back."

"N-Naruto…" The Uchiha's voice was pained now. He sounded like he was about to crack. Yes, he'd snuck into Naruto's room through that rickety door that lead to his balcony. Yes, he'd sat beside the blonde while he slept, whispering his insecurities to what he _thought_ was his sleeping blonde. But now that those words were out in the open…what was he to do? Did Naruto feels those things, too? He'd always been so interested in Sakura…Sasuke never even _bothered _to fathom what it would be like to _actually_ be with Naruto. To him, it was always some far-off fantasy that was impeding his drive to seek revenge on Itachi. But it was almost reality now…he could taste it…

"Sasuke-kun…please come back with us." Sakura didn't come any closer. She knew this really ought to be a private moment between her teammates…but she wanted Naruto to know that she supported him. She always would, no matter what.

"Please…" Naruto whispered that one, _tiny_ word in Sasuke's ear. It was like his whole world was sucked up into that one syllable, spoken by this one young man that would without a doubt be his salvation. Slowly, despite himself and all he'd set out to do…Sasuke nodded.

Happy tears slid down Naruto's face, and Sakura felt like her heart just might explode.

XXX

"Tsunade! You never said he'd be kept in a cell!" Naruto screamed, his eyes holding betrayal for the woman sitting in front of him, seemingly safe behind her desk. She pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. She was about to raise her head and cuss out the immature brat in front of her, until she saw the look on his face. His big, blue eyes were swimming with tears, and distrust. Umino Iruka, who was standing beside her next to Hatake Kakashi, recognized that look right away. He hadn't seen it on his young students face since he was very young, but it was the same expression the blonde used to have when he was face with the hateful villagers of Konoha. It broke his heart to see it again.

"Gaki, please listen…try to understand-" Tsunade began, but Naruto quickly cut her off.

"Don't call me that! I don't want you to call me by that nickname! And I won't 'try to understand'! Understand what? That you _lied_ to me! You said he could come back…and now he's in prison? Awaiting trial? THAT COULD RESULT IN CAPITOL PUNISHMENT?" The blond screamed again, clutching his hair. "HE COULD _DIE_!"

"Naruto-kun, it's very unlikely that he will be put to death. He went under duress." Kakashi supplied, trying to ease the tension. That did little to sate Naruto's fears. He removed Tsunade's necklace from around his neck, and slammed it on her desk.

"I will _never_ trust you again!" He hissed, before whipping around, and stalking out of the office. He didn't stop until he was in the basement of the Hokage Tower. Where Sasuke was. In his _cell._ Said raven was laying on his tiny cot, staring up at the ceiling. When he heard footsteps, he sat up. When he saw who it was, his face instantly brightened.

"Naruto," he began, but when he took in the blonde's current state, he knew something was wrong. "Have you been crying?"

Naruto gripped the bars of the holding cell, his knees having failed him. "Sh-She lied to me! Tsunade lied to me! She promised me that we could bring you back, and everything would be okay again! Any now you're in here! And nothing's okay!" He sobbed. Sasuke approached him, and reached out to touch his tearstained cheek gently.

"Naruto, I knew this would happen. It's just for a little while. They need to be sure I won't do anything, it's standard procedure. You're thinking the worst…you never do that! What's gotten into you, Usuratonkachi?" He said; worry seeping into his normally stoic voice. He truly, honestly cared for the young man in front of him. Naruto put his hand over Sasuke's, the intimate gesture calming him a little bit.

"I don't want to lose you…not again!" He leaned in to Sasuke's touch like it was the only thing anchoring him to the Earth. "If they take you from me…I'll never forgive them!"

Sasuke frowned. "Nothing will happen to me. You forget…I'm an Uchiha. They can't put me to death…hell, I'll flash them a smile, and they'll make me a friggen Jonin." He joked, waggling his eyebrows. He inwardly cringed at how ridiculous he sounded, but he really wanted to cheer his blonde up. Said boy laughed through his tears, his big blue eyes staring into Sasuke's black ones.

"Man…you're full of yourself." He teased.

It was good to have him back.

((A/N: How was it? Leave your reviews! Next chapter should be out soon!))


	2. Chapter 2

A week had passed, one day slowly melting into the next. Naruto felt like he was losing his sanity with every passing minute as he sat in front of the doors to the conference room. Sasuke's trial was in session, and the Elders were being so quiet, the blond couldn't even hear whispers. One hour leaked into the next, and it seemed like no progress would be made. His most important person was just on the other side of those doors, no doubt arguing for his life. Somehow, despite his anxiousness, the knucklehead ninja fell asleep in his chair.

~Dream sequence~

_There were bodies everywhere, blood pooling all over the floor. Above them stood Sasuke in all his glory, soaked in the red substance. _

"_I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Naruto, but they wouldn't let me go. They wouldn't let me train to become powerful enough to defeat Itachi…so they had to go!" The raven sounded insane. Naruto fisted his blonde hair._

"_NO! SASUKE NO!"_

"_Naruto…Naruto…"_

End~

"Naruto…" Someone was shaking his shoulder. "Naruto, wake up."

Said boy jerked away, only to see the man he'd just been dreaming about. His blue eyes were as big as dinner plates.

"Naruto…I have bad news…" Sasuke frowned. Naruto put his hands on the other boy's shoulders.

"Oh, no! No…Sasuke-"

"I have to live with you, in your shitty little apartment." Sasuke peaked up at his blonde, a devious smirk crossing his lips. It took a minute for his words to sink in, and then Naruto reeled back and cuffed the raven over the head.

"Teme! You almost gave me a heart attack!" He hissed. Tsunade stepped out of the conference room now, sending a worrisome expression Naruto's way. The blonde ninja turned his head, a sour look on his face. He still wasn't ready to forgive the Hokage for lying to him. That had…really hurt him.

"Well…lets go then, Teme. We can stop by your old place and get clothes and stuff."

Sasuke shook his head, walking towards the door that lead to the street. "I have nothing there of value. All of my old clothes won't fit me anymore. And besides, I have no need for anything there. I'll just stop by a shop or two on the way home and pick up some things."

_Home_.

Naruto liked the sound of that.

XXX

"You're apartment is really small, Dobe." Sasuke said, looking around to size up where he would be living for the next year. He was to be put on house arrest, and Tsunade had pressed the fact that Naruto should be the one to watch over the ex-missing nin, since it had been him who'd brought the Uchiha back. Sasuke knew it was really to try and get back in Naruto's good graces. But he wasn't going to complain.

"Yeah, well it's been just me for…well…since I Was four. So eleven years." The blonde said casually, as he carried Sasuke's things into his…_their_…bedroom. Sasuke followed behind him, a shocked look on his otherwise stoic face.

"You've been on your own since you were four?" he asked disbelievingly. Naruto nodded as he set Sasuke's shopping bags in the closet.

"Yeah. I don't remember much before then. I don't even know who took care of me when I was a baby. I just remember always waking up alone. It kinda sucked, but I got used to it real fast. I sorta didn't have a choice." He collapsed on his bed, a huge sigh leaving his lungs. "Whew…I'm exhausted!"

Sasuke sat beside him, and pushed off the blonde's forehead protector, setting it on the bedside stand. "I'm sorry for what I said when we fought. About you not having family…"

Naruto held up a hand. "Don't worry about it, Sasuke. You were angry, I get that." He tried to smile, to cover up the fact that those words _had_ hurt. Sasuke saw right through it.

"Stop being so understanding!" The raven hissed. "I know I've been a jerk to you…a real asshole! I know I've said things…done things…"

Naruto sat up, his blue eyes staring up into Sasuke's onyx ones. "Would you rather I hate you, Teme? Is that what you want? I forgive you, because that's what best friends do. They _forgive_ each other. And I forgive you, Sasuke."

Sasuke took off his Leaf headband as well, and dropped it next to the blondes, before pressing his forehead against the utterly, _ridiculously_, adorable ninja in front of him.

"Baka…" there was a long, comfortable silence after that. Naruto's eyes slid shut.

"Hey, Sasuke…" he whispered finally.

"Yeah?" The avenger's voice was lighter now.

"D'you remember back in the Academy…when that kid pushed me and we accidently…kissed?" his voice was so hushed; the other boy could hardly hear it.

"Yeah." Memories came flooding back. Back then, it hadn't meant anything to him, other than embarrassment. It'd only lasted a few seconds, but looking back on it now, it was the beginning of his infatuation with his teammate.

"I forgot what if felt like…could you remind me?" It was a breathless request, and the boy's bright eyes were still closed. Sasuke swallowed, allowing his own lids to slide shut. He leaned forward, and pressed his dry, chapped lips against the other boy's soft, supple ones. It was sweet, and careful. Sasuke lifted his hands up to gently cup Naruto's cheeks, pulling him a little bit closer. That's what he so desperately needed. To be close to Naruto.

"You know…" he said, pulling away and smoothing back Naruto's blonde hair. "Coming back here, back to you…that was the smartest thing I've ever done."

Even though he had heard those sweet words, Naruto still looked sad, a little forlorn. "I feel like this is a dream. Yeah, I know I swore I'd get you back, and I believed that I would but…all of this? It's really sudden. Unexpected."

Sasuke looked out of the window, his gaze distant.

"I know…"

XXX

His room at the Akastuki base had never really felt comfortable to him. Despite the fact that he'd been calling it home for almost six years, it didn't really feel like _his_. Then again, he was sure nothing every really would. Not after that night…

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He couldn't dwell on that happened, right? He had to accept his fate, and move ahead as best he could until the day came when Sasuke…when _Sasuke_…would avenge their clan, and kill him. But, if only…

"What's on your mind?" Came a gruff voice. It pierced his thoughts, and he turned to face his blue skinned partner and roommate.

"I'm just daydreaming, Kisame-kun." Itachi said simply. He really didn't _want_ to discuss it, but if there was one person in this dark, cold world he found himself in that he could trust, it was Kisame. They'd grown close over the years.

"About what?" The ex-Mist nin pressed, sitting next to the younger man on the small couch in their room. The ever-present frown on the Uchiha's face deepened.

"About my younger brother. I just wish…things could be different." Itachi didn't know exactly how to put his feelings into words. He never really was good at that. "The only good thing about me leaving my village was meeting you."

This shocked Kisame. He sat back, and rested his elbows on his knees. He didn't know Itachi felt that way. Yeah, they talked. They ate all their meals together, and slept in the same room. Kisame felt more loyalty to the boy then he had for his old village, even despite the fact that Itachi was eleven years his junior. There was just something about him…maybe, his understanding. Even on the day they first met, Itachi never cringed at his odd facial features, or commented on his colored skin. He'd just accepted Kisame for who he was.

"Well, shit, Itachi. Didn't know you cared that much." Kisame inwardly cringed. How like him, to make this into a joke. His tone was teasing, bordering cruel. Itachi turned his head and looked at the older man.

"I do care, Kisame. You know the truth behind my defection from Konoha. I'm a caring person."

Yeah, Kisame knew the truth. As soon as Itachi found out how dedicated Kisame was to keeping secrets, he all but spilled the beans one night as they slept in a rickety hotel while on a mission. Kisame listened to every word, up until the very end, when Itachi had suddenly stood up, and practically ran into the bathroom. Kisame assumed he'd went there to cry, but he didn't ask any questions.

"Yeah, I know-" Kisame began, but Itachi cut him off, turning his whole body towards the shark-like man.

"I'm a master of deception, Kisame. But I can't deceive you. I don't _want_ to deceive you. I want at least _one_ person in the world to know who I am. To know the real me. And I'm glad it's you." Itachi was staring into Kisame's eyes with such…despair, it was almost unbearable. Kisame cringed.

"You're really hurting inside, aren't you?" The older man mumbled. Itachi's brow furrowed, and he nodded. Was he holding back tears? Kisame swallowed thickly. "Do you want…a hug, or something?"

Itachi was silent for a moment, before he nodded, and scooted closer to Kisame. Said swordsman reached out, and brought the younger man into his arms. As soon as his head connected with Kisame's shoulder blade, he began to sob.

Kisame let him, rubbing small circles on his back.


	3. Chapter 3

Never in a million years had Sasuke thought he'd be waking up in a bed next to his loud, annoying, absolutely _adorable_ teammate. Said boy was currently wrapped up in Sasuke's arms, his hot breath ghosting over the avenger's naked chest. If Sasuke had to describe it in one word, it would have been _happiness_. Sasuke leaned closer and pressed a kiss to Naruto's forehead, and he smiled softly as the boy stirred.

"Ne, why do you wake up so _early_, Sasuke? S'not even light out!" he mumbled, rolling over on to his other side. Sasuke draped himself over Naruto.

"Get used to it, Dobe. I wake up every morning before the dawn." He chuckled. Naruto groaned.

"Oh, man! Sasuke~!" he whined.

XXX

Kisame woke up from a fitful slumber, only to hear whimpers and whispered pleas coming from the other bed in the room Itachi's face was scrunched up in agony, and he was laying on his back, his fists clenching the sheets desperately.

"No! No! Please…otouto, believe me! Please! I didn't want to! They forced me! No! Sasuke, don't! NO! AHH!" He screamed. Itachi shot straight up in bed, his eyes wide and filled with terror. His Sharingan was activated, swirling dangerously. Kisame made sure to avoide direct eye contact as he made his way over to his partner.

"Hey…Hey, you okay?" He whispered, reaching out to touch the other male's shoulder. The black haired boy crumbled back against his pillow, his chest heaving with labored breaths. He reached out and pulled Kisame against him, burying his face in the older man's chest.

"Oh…Kami-sama. It was so…real. I could feel his blade!" Itachi sputtered, clutching his heart.

Kisame wrapped Itachi up in his arms, pulling him into a sitting position against his chest.

"It's okay…hey…" He lifted Itachi's chin so the younger male would look at him. "I'm right here, okay?"

Itachi nodded, weakly, and buried his face in Kisame's neck. "Thank you, Kisame. For being here…for everything. It's been so long since I felt like someone cared about me."

Kisame awkwardly patted the raven's back. "Yeah, I care about you, buddy."

"Will you always be here for me, Kisame-kun? Or will you disappear, to? Or, will I cause you to leave me? Cause you to die?" He murmured against the shark man's neck. Kisame knew Itachi was just delirious from his nightmares, from lack of proper sleep. But, that didn't mean that those words weren't true. It didn't stop them from piercing Kisame's cold heart. He felt himself melting.

He could have blamed it on old age, but he would be lying to himself. He knew what this was. He cared deeply for the boy. So deeply, in fact, that it could be labeled as _love_. Yes, he loved the boy. Just what _kind_ of love, he wasn't sure.

He lay the boy back down on his pillows, covering him with his black blanket. He tucked him in, adjusted his pillows, and went about smoothing his love, black hair.

"Yeah, I'll always be here for you, Itachi-san. You have my word. There's nothing you could do that would drive me away. I'm pretty unshakable, and besides, you mean too much to me. I've grown pretty attached to you over the years, kid."

Itachi was smiling up at him, and the view was breathtaking. He reached up and cupped the older man's broad jaw.

"Will you kiss me, Kisame?" he sounded so desperate for this sort of attention. Desperate for someone to love him like this. And who was Kisame to deny him? If the younger male wasnted Kisame to play this role in his life, he wouldn't protest. He supposed he should be grateful, to be able to touch a prodigy such as the young man lying in front of him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll kiss you."

Xxx

Deidara tossed and turned in his sleep, his muttering driving the other occupant of the room insane. Sasori was known for his lack of patience, and it was especially thin when dealing with his blonde partner. But as of late, he wasn't getting irritated because of his partner's usually antics, but rather, the _lack_ of them. Normally, Deidara took every problem that he had to his partner, no matter how stupid and trivial they maybe. Sasori would become angry, and reprimand him.

But now…now, Deidara was taking his problems elsewhere. To Kakuzu, and Hidan. He even went to Konan. But not to him. Not to Sasori. And it made the puppet master _furious! _And right now, he had no idea what was causing the blonde to writhe and cry out in his sleep. But, Sasori bet anything that Kakuzu or Hidan knew…

He walked over to his partner's bed, grabbing the younger man's small shoulders. He shook him hard, pulling him from his dream.

"WHAT! WHAT!" Deidara screamed. Sasori slapped a pseudo-fleshy hand over the blond's loud mouth.

"Shh! Shut up! What is troubling you? Tell me, now! You always run off to the others with your problems." He hissed. Deidara's blue eyes went wide. He pulled Sasori's hand from his mouth.

"You always got angry. So I stopped bothering you. Hmm." He grunted, rolling over on to his side. Sasori growled low in his throat, grabbed Deidara's face, and turned him towards the puppet.

"From now on, you will only come to _me_ with your problems. I am your confidant. You don't need to rely on them. Do you understand me?" He sounded so…angry. Deidara finally understood exactly what was going on. He smirked, sitting up and pressing his bare chest against Sasori's puppet body.

"You're…jealous, aren't you? Danna? _Hmm…" _He whispered into the older man's ear. Sasori could feel Deidara's hot breath ghost over his neck. This boy was sex personified. Especially the way he had his legs wrapped around Sasori's waist.

"What are you doing, brat?" he hissed, fighting against his better judgment, which was telling him to ravish the blonde.

Said blonde lay back lifted his hips up, almost in offering to the puppet master. "Sasori-danna…I want you to do something. I want you…_to fuck me_. Right here, right now. Hard, fast, and _fucking dirty_. You want to know what I've been discussing with Hidan? Hmm? I've been telling him how bad I want you to _ravish_ me. Everywhere. In the shower…in the kitchen…on Leader-sama's desk…I wasn't having a nightmare just now. I was dreaming about you fucking me so hard, I couldn't even think. I was an incoherent, babbling mess and it was _all your fault_, Sa-so-ri-danna!" He practically sang the last word as he trailed his fingers up Sasori's chest. That was all it took. Sasori crashed his lips down onto Deidara's, shoving his tongue inside that hot little mouth. Deidara submitted at once, letting Sasori's tongue slide against his own. When Sasori moved his lips to Deidara's flushed neck, the blonde arched his back.

"Hnnnn…Sasori-danna! Please!" He begged, rolling his hips up. "Please…do _something_!"

Sasori chuckled darkly, moving away look at his partner. Deidara was panting and writhing with need beneath the puppet master. Sasori leaned down again, and claimed the blonde as his with a kiss so ravenous, it too Deidara's breath away.

"Oh…please, Sempai!" The blonde moaned, spreading his legs even more. Sasori reached down and pulled the younger boys boxers down his legs, maneuvering them straight up into the air. After he threw the boxers to the side, he held Deidara's legs up in the air by his ankles. Deidara blushed, and the red head reached down, and rubbed one thin finger against the bombers virgin hole.

"O-Oh! Sasori-danna…yeah…" He whimpered. Sasori smirked.

"You know…I should punish you for avoiding me all week, Gaki. That was a very naughty thing for you to do…" His voice was heavy with lust. Deidara gasped.

"P-Punish?" Before the blonde could protest, Sasori sat down on the edge of the bed, and pulled Deidara across his knees. "O-Oh, K-Kami-sama! You're not going t-to-AH!"

_Slap_.

Deidara cried out as Sasori's hand came in contact with his ass. The puppet man was spanking him…and he fucking loved it.

_Slap!_

_Slap!_

"F-Fuck! Yes…U-Uh…Danna…I've been such a bad boy!" The younger moaned. His cock was painfully hard. And suddenly, two of Sasori's fingers pressed into his mouth. He almost gagged around them, covering them in saliva. As soon as they came, they were gone…and then, they pushed in somewhere _else_.

"AHH! DANNA! F-Fuck!" He was grinding his hard, throbbing manhood against his Master's thigh, rutting like a bitch in heat.

Sasori was scissoring his subordinates tight asshole, drinking in every delicious sound the blonde made. "Fuck, Deidara…if I had a cock, I'd fuck you _so hard._ This will have to…suffice for now." He almost sounded sad, but those feelings were shoved aside as he heard Deidara scream. Bingo. He'd found the bomber's prostate.

"OH! RIGHT THERE! RIGHT THERE, DANNA! FUCK ME HARDER!" He screamed, unaffected by the thought that everyone else in the base could probably hear him. Within seconds, he came hard, spilling his seed all over Sasori's thigh.

"Oh…that was…" he panted. He sat up, shaky and exhausted. He straddled the older man's waist, and rested his chest and head against the puppet's. "Danna…I love you!" He whispered, before falling asleep. Sasori held him all through the night.


	4. Chapter 4

When Kisame pressed his lips against the eldest Uchiha's, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. Maybe it was the fact that he was more than ten years older than the boy? Or, the fact that the raven haired prodigy was crying into the kiss and gripping Kisame's night shirt so hard, it was likely to tear? He pulled away.

"Itachi-sama. We really shouldn't do this. I'm a grown man…and you're just a boy. You're only 19! And I…Itachi-sama?"

The grip on Kisame's shirt tightened painfully. Itachi's eyes were squeezed shut tightly, but tears were falling from underneath them in a stready rhythm. His small shoulders were shaking violently with sobs. Kisame just didn't know what to do.

"Y-You…y-you promised! H-Have I already d-disgusted you? I-Is it…all the blood on my hands? I…I know they're not clean…I kn-know _I'm_ not clean…but I _am_ a virgin, Kisame-kun. I'm not dirty _th-there_…" He whimpered. He crawled forward, straddling Kisame's broad, muscular thighs. He was so small compared to the blue-skinned man. Kisame brought his arms around the small boy, cradling him against his chest.

"Itachi…you…hey, listen! I don't think you're dirty. Far from it. I think you're really upset right now. You're not Dirty. I'm not disgusted by you." He said soothingly.

Itachi began to kiss a trail up Kisame's broad neck. "Prove it…" He whispered over hot skin. "Prove it to me. Show me you don't think I'm disgusting. Touch me…_Kisame_." He rocked his hips forward, against the other man's groin. He could feel that Kisame was hard…that he wanted this. "Don't deny what you feel, Kisame-kun."

"Itachi. Will you please listen to me? You're tired. You're upset…and you're delirious. I _don't_ think you're disgusting. I am _not_ repulsed by you. And I _will_ prove it. By lying here with you while you sleep off whatever's gotten in to you. Now please…" He maneuvered them so they were lying down, Itachi wrapped up in Kisame's strong arms. Itachi's wild eyes were searching Kisame's yellow orbs for any sign of betrayal. Finding none, he closed shifted and got comfortable. Right before the raven haired boy fell asleep, Kisames kissed his forehead softly.

Xxx

After a long hard day of training, Naruto was ready to come home and relax. What made it even sweeter was the fact someone was waiting for him there. Sasuke was on house arrest for the next couple of months, and he was staying in Naruto's apartment. As the blonde raced home, he couldn't help but picture Sasuke in an apron, cooking for him. He knew it was bogus, but he laughed at the thought. If anything, _he'd_ be the one to cook for the raven. He'd do anything for him.

As he threw open the door to his apartment, he found a sight he thought he'd never see. Sasuke was, indeed, in the kitchen. Cooking. He didn't have an apron on, but he was still cooking. And, but the smell of it…it was ramen. Naruto heard the raven chuckle.

"Welcome home, Naruto." He greeted him. Naruto walked into the kitchen, and wrapped his arms around Sasuke, so they were standing chest to back. He kissed the top of Sasuke's head. "I didn't peg you for the domestic type." He teased. Sasuke smiled.

"My fondest memories of my mother are of her in the kitchen. It's nice to be able to do the things she did for me, for someone precious to me. Like cook you your favorite food after you've trained all day." He sounded so…sweet. Naruto pulled away a little bit, letting Sasuke turn around to face him.

"Sasuke…what's gotten in to you?" Naruto muttered. He was being so…so un-Sasuke. It was sort of scaring him. The Uchiha smiled sadly.

"You saved me, Naruto. Saved me from doing something I would have regretted. You've shown me what forgiveness is. What true strength is. I'm not saying that I am forgiving…_him_…but I am saying that Mother wouldn't have wanted me to poison myself with the thought of revenge." He lay his head against Naruto's chest. "She would have loved you, Naruto. I wish she could have met you."

Naruto's blue eyes welled up tears, and he hugged the Uchiha so tightly, it must have hurt. But Sasuke squeezed him back just as hard, wishing for this moment to never end. But it had to…because the ramen was boiling over.

"Shit!"

Xxx

Deidara woke up alone. As he rubbed his tired eyes, he called out for him.

"Danna? Danna, are you there? Hmm."

He got no reply. As he sat up, and actually looked around the room, he noticed something shocking. All of Sasori's things were gone. He clothes from the closet they shared, his tools from the desk…all of his half-finished puppets that usually hung on the walls. Even his bedding was gone. Panic set in Deidara's chest.

"What…?" He murmured. He got up, still in his boxers, and went to his door, throwing it open. He looked up and down the hallway, and noticed the only person in the hallway was Uchiha Itachi.

"Hey. Teme. Have you…uh…seen Sasori-sempai?" He asked begrudgingly. Itachi turned around…and the look on his face was sympathetic. Almost hurt.

"Early this morning he requested a new partner. He moved into the spare room." Itachi said in a hushed voice, walking closer to Deidara's door. He noticed the look on the blondes face. Something had happened. "Do you…want to talk? I know…we haven't been close or…even friends. But, I can be here for you. I can talk to you."

Deidara was so lost. He nodded briskly, despite himself. He needed to…talk to someone. He stepped to the side, and let Itachi come inside his room. Deidara collapsed on his bed, his head in his hands.

"I fucked up." He murmured, running his hands through his hair. Itachi sat down next to him.

"What happened?" Itachi offered. He was trying very hard to be friendly. To be normal.

Deidara sighed nervously, tugging on his blonde ponytail. "We…we had sex last night. And I thought everything went good…I though he liked it…and before we fell asleep, I said 'I love you'…maybe that was it…Maybe that was what…"

"You said you loved him?" Itachi murmured. He knew Sasori's background. Love didn't really fit into the equation. He _had_ been in Akatsuki longer than the blonde. He knew the ins and outs of the other members.

"Yeah…and you want to know the _really_ fucked up part? I meant it."

Itachi patted his back. This would be hard on the blonde…


End file.
